How to Write Reception Invitations

There are several situations that would call for reception invitations needing to be sent separately from the wedding invitations. Some couples choose wedding invitations with only enough space for the wedding details. Others may wish to have a reception on a totally different day than the wedding, and those who get married at the court house and wish to have a reception would only need to send out reception invitations.

• Announce the reason behind the separate invitations. This is especially true if you did indeed have a wedding and you are inviting some to the reception that you did not invite to the wedding. An example would be a destination wedding. If you live in Ohio, but got married in Vegas, then most likely all of your family and friends are not going to be able to make the trip. Therefore, some couples decide to have a reception in their hometown so that they can still share a separate celebration with their friends and family. Your invitations should list the name of the host and the reason behind the invitation. For example, you can say "Mr. and Mrs. John Doe request your attendance at the reception to celebrate the marriage of Jack and Jane Doe."


• List the time and place. You should include directions to the reception. If you are inviting guests that live out of town, a nice gesture would also be to include a list of hotels. This list should go on a separate piece of paper as an insert.


• Share a few details of the reception. This is where you need to add things like the dress code, whether or not you want children in attendance, and the type of entertainment that you will have. Be sure to add an RSVP card in the envelope and give a specific date for the RSVP.